Match Reports Sunday 8th March
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Greencastle FC 4
Moville Celtic 2
In the early exchanges Michael Henry was denied by the advancing Seamus Houghton in the Moville goal while at the other end Johnathan Havlin headed wide while Marc Bell was off target from the edge of the area.
Moville took the lead on 8 minutes when after a quick throw in Bell crossed for Conor Doherty to control and drill low past Dylan Doherty from ten yards. Greencastle replied with Nigel McMonagle and Eamon Donnelly both off target. The home side equalised on 16 minutes when David Henry expertly controlled Donnelly’s ball over the top to fire past Houghton. Declan McGuinness then for Moville had a shot saved by Doherty while Michael Henry was denied at the other end by Houghton. Moville got back in front on 29 minutes after Ryan McColgan advanced on the left and his pinpoint cross found the inrushing Doherty to head home from eight yards. Greencastle upped the tempo then with a Jason Dickson header saved by Houghton while Michael Henry had a header cleared off the line by McGuinness. The home side levelled on the stroke of half time when Donnelly fed McMonagle who slipped the ball into the path of Ronan Doherty who controlled and slotted low past Houghton. Greencastle got a dream start to the second half when they took the lead in the opening minute when Michael Henry fed McMonagle whose effort from the edge of the area took a deflection and looped over Houghton. Moville almost replied but Michael McNaught was denied by a brilliant last ditch tackle from Mark Henry. The home side then increased their lead on 55 minutes after a superb Donnelly pass found McMonagle who cut in from the right and fired left footed low to the bottom corner from fifteen yards. Moville battled well and Conor Doherty ‘s deep cross just cleared the bar before Puaric Skelly was denied by a Mark Henry last ditch tackle. Greencastle finished strong with substitute Shea McLaughlin sending McMonagle clear but Houghton advanced to smother. In the closing minutes another break saw McMonagle find Donnelly but Stephen Harley got back to clear.
Cockhill Celtic Youths 1
Carn FC 0
A minutes silence was observed at the start of this game in memory of former Cockhill player Derek Smith who sadly passed away at the weekend. When the game started it was Cockhill who took the initiative and on 4 minutes Mark McDaid split the Carn defence for Darragh McDermott to race clear but Dean Mason made a superb save to save low to his left. Adam Mclaughlin then delivered superb free kicks into the Carn box but Ryan Kelly and Conor Doherty were alert to clear. Carn then created a double chance before the break after Brandon Browne broke into the area but denied by the legs of Liam McGonigle the ball broke to Darragh Deery who was also denied by McGonigle. Carn had the upped hand in the early part of the second half. A deep Conor Doherty cross found the unmarked Kelly on 62 minutes but he headed over. Minutes later a Deery corner found Kelly whose powerful header was tipped over by McGonigle. Cockhill responded and when a Killian O Rourke effort took a deflection Mason in the Carn goal made a stunning save to tip the ball over. The defining moment arrived on 86 minutes after Adam McLaughlin advanced from midfield and sent Oisin O Flaherty clear to round Mason and drill home.
Strand Hotel Division One
Greencastle Res 0
Clonmany Shamrocks 10
Having caused a huge upset in the first round of league fixtures Greencastle were no match for a rampant Clonmany side played in Carrowmena on Sunday. The shamrocks got off to a great start when they opened the scoring on 6 minutes after Mark McLaughlin advanced on the right and cut the ball back for Jason Devlin who swivelled and fired low past Maurice McGeady from twelve yards. Greencastle playing against the breeze settled and on the half hour Shea McLaughlin advanced from midfield and fed Keenan McClaren but he fired wide from inside the area. Clonmany doubled their lead minutes after this when McLaughlin controlled a Jake Harkin cross before drilling low to the corner from twelve yards. They made it three before the interval when Devlin advanced into the area and squared the ball for McLaughlin to sidefoot home. Clonmany made an equally quick start to the second period and made it four nil with Devlin running onto a long ball and rounding McGeady to fire home. Greencastle had a really good spell then and spurned four clear chances with David Heuston heading over from six yards and Rory O Donnell blazing over from close range. Then McClaren saw an attempted lob drift wide before the same playershot over when well placed. Clonmany regained control and added a fifth through Pearse McCarron who slotted home from the edge of the area. Two excellent efforts from the edge of the area from Devlin gave McGeady no chance while Steve Harkin made it eight with another shot to the top corner. Harkin completed the rout and his hat trick with two late strikes.
Redcastle United 2
QPS 3
After an even open period the home side had the first effort on 13 minutes after Brendan Murphy gained possession on the edge of the area but flashed a low shot just past Aiden Lynch’s left hand post. The visitors came more into the game and opened the scoring on 28minutes when a Josh Boyle cross was slotted low past Michael McCole by John McCloskey. They doubled their lead on 33 minutes when Sean Lynch split the home defence for McCloskey to race clear round McCole and slot home. It looked to be plain sailing for the visitors on 57 minutes after Sean McColgan broke on the right and picked out McCloskey to complete his hat trick with a fine header. The home side rallied and reduced the deficit on 73 minutes when Hoy spotted Lynch off his line and fired the ball to the roof of the net from twenty five yards. They got another back on the stroke of full time when Evan Craig crossed from the left for the unmarked Hoy to head home. But the visitors saw the remaining time out to claim the points.
Rasheney FC 2
Dunree United 2
There was little by way of goalmouth action until the 24th minute when the home side opened the scoring after David McLaughlin fed brother John who cut in and fired low across Philip Doherty to the far corner. Dunree replied immediately after Conor Barrett broke into the area but his effort was blocked by a defender. Rasheney looked destined to make it two nil when Declan Mclaughlin crossed towards Conor McDaid but Philip Doherty averted the danger with a superb defensive header. They did make it two nil before the interval when replacement keeper Cathal McNutt failed to deal with a John McLaughlin free. On the stroke of half time Kyle Barrett headed narrowly wide for the visitors. Dunree upped the tempo and dominated the second period. They got an early goal back when Sean Mulhern released Jamie Brosnan who lifted the ball over the advancing Roger McGilloway. The visitors equalised on 58 minutes after the home defence failed to clear and Ryan Bradley drove low to the net from twelve yards. Brosnan then had a free parried away by McGilloway and Donald O Doherty hooked the ball just wide before Bradley then had a snapshot from the edge of the area straight at McGilloway. The final chance for the visitors saw a Dermot Graham cross find Liam Baldrick but his effort was blocked by a defender.
Ulster Junior Shield Round Two
Clonmany Res 0
Glengad Res 9
Glengad got off to a dream start when they opened the scoring on 6 minutes after Paul McDermott seized on a back pass and picked out Nathan McConalogue to slot low past Tiernan Doherty from close range. McConalogue then fired narrowly wide mid way through the half as the visitors continued to dominate. Before the break they had another chance after a corner broke to Niall McColgan but he failed to hit the target from close range. The visitors blitzed the home side in the opening twenty minutes of the second half. John G McDermott made it two nil when he fired home from ten yards after the ball broke kindly to him. McDermott was then denied by a superb acrobatic clearance from Eamon Doherty before Paul McGonagle made it three nil with a superb twenty five yards strike to the bottom corner. Paul McDermott then broke on the right and crossed for Niall McColgan to sidefoot home the fourth on 68minutes. On 72 minutes it became five nil when McConalogue advanced on the right and saw his goalbound effort deflected over the line by an unfortunate defender. McConalogue completed his hat trick with the sixth goal on 77 minutes before Doherty in the home goal saved well to deny Paul McDermott. McColgan then had an effort from distance tipped over the bar by Doherty and from the corner Graham Morgan headed just over. Late goals from McConalogue and two from Paul McDermott completed the scoring as the visitors advance to the next round.
Hannon Greene Insurances Fr O Gara Cup
Dunree Res 0
Aileach Res 2
Division Two Dunree gave first division Aileach a real battle in this cup tie at St Egneys Park. The home side started the better but both Ryan O Donnell and Mickey Grant spurned good openings when well placed. Aileach then took the lead after a Benny Hegarty shot was deemed to have crossed the line with the home side protesting in vain. Aileach then doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half when Jordan McGeady fired past Philip Doherty in the home goal from the edge of the area. Dunree pressed and Shaun Henderon and Kyle Doherty both failed to hit the target when well placed. Aileach saw out the remainder of the game and advance to meet QPS in the quarter finals.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two A 11am
Redcastle Res 2
Aileach Youths 7
Redcastle started this game the better and took the lead after Darren Harkin finished well from inside the area. Midway through the half the visitors got back on terms when Stephen O Donnell converted from close range after the home defence failed to clear. But Redcastle regained the lead before half time when Cianan Mulcahy broke clear of the Aileach defence and finished low to the corner. There was a huge turnaround in the second period with Aileach getting on top. Goals from Gavin Doherty and O Donnell fired them ahead before Aaron Doherty increased their lead. Late goals from Gavin & Thomas Doherty and another from O Donnell to complete his hat trick saw the visitors win seven two.
Inishowen Engineering Division Two B 11am
Carn Res 4
Illies Res 2
The home side put themselves right into contention for the division 2B league title with this win over leaders Illies at St Patricks Park.Carn broke the deadlock on 9 minutes when a Sean O’Donnell pass found Kyran Cantwell who went one on one with Illies keeper Kevin Gallagher and shot low to the bottom right corner from 10 yards. Carn doubled their lead on 19 minutes after an Aaron McCarron free kick on the right from 25 yards found Cian Burke who was unmarked and he slotted it past Gallagher from 10 yards. Illies managed to pull one back on 24 minutes when an Alan Fletcher free kick from outside the 18 yard box curled past Dean Mason in the Carn goal into the top corner . Illies then got an equalizer on 28 minutes through an own goal when an Aaron McCarron backpass met with some confusion in the Carn defence and the ball ended up in the net. But Carn regained the lead on 38 minutes after Aaron McCarron broke on the right wing and crossed for Sean O’Donnell and he slotted it low past Gallagher . Carn had a chance to extend their lead on 55 minutes with a Dermot Doherty run on the right wing found John James McDaid who laid it off for Aaron McCarron who failed to hit the target when well placed. Carn did double their lead on the hour when John James McDaid broke on the right wing rounded the defender and laid it off for Cian Burke who fired low to the right corner from 12 yards. Illies had a chance to pull one back on 74 minutes when Paddy O’Connor broke on the right and crossed for Martin Coyle whose low shot was pushed past the post by Mason in the carn goal. Carn nearly made it 5-2 on 85 minutes when a pass from Billy Dempsey in midfield found substitute Sean O’Kane who bore down on Gallagher but shot low to the right and wide from 15 yards.